Cigar machine



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THOMAS A. GODFREY 06 BY gg W54 ATTORNEY United States Patent l 3,033,211 CIGAR MACHINE Thomas A. Godfrey, Elmont, N.Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 861,096 Claims. (Cl. 13181) This invention relates to the manufacture of cigars and more particularly to the manufacture of cigars having a high moisture content such, for example, as the Toscani cigar.

The art of manufacturing Toscani cigar machines is relatively new. The first successful machine of this type was one constructed in accordance with the disclosure in the patent application of Clausen et al., SN. 587,168, filed May 24, 1956. The filler tobacco of a Toscani cigar at the time of manufacture has an extremely high moisture content. This causes a leeching of gum and other products from the tobacco onto certain operative tobacco-contacting parts of the machine. The deposition of such substances eventually prevents the operation of the part or renders its operation ineffectual. These substances once built up become so hard that they can be removed only by a steel chisel.

It is a part of my invention to recognize these gums and substances are so leeched from the tobacco because they are water soluble. Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to prevent such deposition from adhering or building up on operative parts of the machine by applying water to the parts.

It is an object of my invention to apply water at such times and in such quantities as to prevent the deposition of such gummy substances without adversely affecting the tobacco being worked.

It is a further object of my invention to re-design certain parts to aid in the distribution of the water on the part so that the amount of water necessary to affect the aforementioned purpose may be minimal. Therefore, it is an object of my invention to design a new presser mechanism in the crossfeed channel of a cigar machine to apply predetermined quantities of water over a selected period of operation.

It is an object of my invention to apply predetermined quantities of water to cutting elements (knives and ledger bars) of the charge forming mechanism of a cigar machine for the aforesaid purposes.

it is also an object of the invention to provide lubrication to stationary surfaces on which tobacco is fed, as for example the bridge plate to the crossfeed conveyor and the measuring chamber.

It is a further object of my invention to provide mechanical means to assist in cleaning the elements by wiping the irrigated parts.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation may be understood by reference to the apparatus embodying my invention and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the filler feed channel as well as the receiving and measuring chamber shown in conjunction with a water supply system to prevent accumulation of gum on the moving parts;

FIG. 1A is a sectional end elevation of the filler feed channel taken on line 1A1A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional end elevation through the receiving and measuring chambers taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1; v

3,033,211 Patented May 8, 1962 FIG. 4 is also a sectional end elevation taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional plan view illustrating the vertical charge severing knife taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1; and

:FIG. 6 is also a partial sectional plan view illustrating the horizontal knife taken on line 66 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, the machine is provided with a reservoir R connected by conduit 20 to a water pump 10 which forces a predetermined amount of water at predetermined times to the various parts of the machine. The reservoir gravity feeds to pump 10. Pump 10 is operated at the proper time and once during each cycle by means of an existing cam lever 12 which corresponds to the oscillating cam lever designated 101 in the aforementioned application of Clausen et al. The cam lever 12 is part of the actuating mechanism of the transverse knife 108. Cam lever 12 carries an adjustable screw 14 projecting therefrom and contacting the free end of a horizontal plunger 16. The other end of plunger 16 protrudes into the housing of the aforementioned pump 10 employed for the purpose of forwarding water to a suitable junction block 18. The piston plunger 16 is urged into its normal backmost position by a compression spring 22 surrounding the plunger and confined between the collar 24 and the forward end of the pump. Plunger 16 is also provided with a stop collar 26 employed to limit its backward movement. Plunger 16 is slidably supported by a suitable bracket 28 which also supports the pump 10.

In order to achieve a more trouble-free operation with tobacco of high moisture content, the pressure assembly P which is shown in the aforementioned application of Clausen et al. and employed for the purpose of compressing the filler tobacco T in the crossfeed channel, is. replaced by a new compressor unit S which consists of three horizontally mounted rollers 30, 32 and 34 projecting into the crossfeed channel C. Rollers 30 and 34 are pivotally supported by means of studs 36 and 38, respectively, both of which are held at a predetermined distance from the bottom of channel C by a pair of vertical spaced plates 40 secured to a suitable bracket 42. The roller 32 is pivotally mounted on a stud 44 which at each end is supported by the free ends of a pair of parallel arms 46 pivotally held by means of stud 48 to the vertical plates 40. Each arm engages with the lower portion of a floating stud 50, the upper end of which is loosely suspended from a bracket 52 by means of a nut 54. Each bracket 52 is secured to the outer wall of its respective vertical plate 40. Compression spring 56 surrounding said stud 50 and confined between bracket 52 and the top edge of each arm 46 is employed for the purpose of providing yieldable tension to the roller 32. As the filler tobacco T forwarded in the crossfeed channel C passes beneath rollers 34, 32 and 30, it is compressed to the desired degree by means of the aforesaid rollers.

In order to prevent gum from accumulating on the rollers due to their constant contact with the tobacco in the crossfeed channel, each roller 30, 32 and 34 is provided with a suitable scraper 58, 60 and 62, respectively. Each scraper is suitably secured to a cover plate 64 mounted on the top edges of the vertical plates 40' as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 1A. Cover plate 64 above each roller 30, 32 and 34 is provided with a suitable opening 66 and carries on its top side a tube 68 provided with three suitable holes which register with the holes '66 in the cover. plate 64. It is' self-evident that if water is forced through the tube 68 it will be forced through holes 66 in cover plate 64 and on to the rollers 30, 32 and 34. Roller 34 is furthermore provided with a distributor plate 70 to.

assist in even distribution of the water on said roller.

The stream of tobacco T is forwarded by means of belt 72 from the crossfeed channel C over bridge plate 74 and into the charge receiving chamber E. Bridge plate 74 forms the connection between the crossfeed belt 72 and the charge receiving chamber E. The bridge plate 74 is irrigated from a plurality of vertical holes 76 which are connected to a horizontal duct 78 which in turn by means of a tube 80 communicates with junction block 18.

As shown and described in the aforementioned patent application, a vertically reciprocating guillotine type knife 82 with an angled edge, coacting with a fixed ledger plate 83, which serves also as a support surface, to support tobacco in said receiving chamber, severs a filler charge B from the stream of tobacco in the receiving chamber E formed by the vertical side Walls 84, 86. A resiliently mounted tobacco stripper plate 33 is suspended on the back side of the vertical knife 82. Stripper plate 88 is fastened to a pair of guide rods 90 both of which slidingly engage with the knife holder bracket 93 and one of which is provided with a collar 94 by means of which said stripper plate is suspended from said holder plate 92. Compression springs 96 surrounding the rods 90 and confined between the bottom edge of the knife supporting bracket 92 and the top side of the stripper plate are employed for the purpose of permitting the knife to travel downward after the bottom side of stripper plate $8 engages with the tobacco during the cutting operation. When the vertical knife is in its uprnost position as illustrated in FIG. 1, the stripper plate 88 assumes a position below the angle of the cutting edge of knife 82. Therefore, any particle of tobacco which might adhere to the same after the cutting operation is stripped from the rear side of said knife as the knife is raised relative to the stripper plate held down on the filler stream by springs.

In order to prevent accumulation of tobacco gum on the vertical knife the top side of stripper plate 83 is provided with a felt pad 93 which is moistened through water forwarded by a tube 190 which is secured to the side wall 86 of the receiving chamber E. The tube 169 is provided with a plurality of suitable holes 102 located above the felt pad 98 so that any water supplied to tube 100 will drop onto said felt pad 98. It is self-evident that the moistened felt pad will wipe the knife clean during the vertical reciprocating motion of the same, thus preventing any accumulation of tobacco gum.

As mentioned above, the knife is held by the mounting bracket 92 which in turn is secured to a vertical slide 104 actuated in a well known manner. After the filler charge B is severed from the tobacco strip T in the receiving chamber, the said filler charge B by means of a vertical plunger 106 is pushed down into the measuring chamber M where a charge of the required volume is cut off by means of a horizontally reciprocating knife 168 after which charge transfer 11% moves the charge out of the measuring chamber M onto platform 124.

In order to keep the horizontally reciprocating knife 108 free of gum, it is contacted on its top side by means of a felt strip 112 (FIG. 3) and on the bottom side by means of a felt strip 114. The felt strip 112 is held by a suitable channel bracket 116 attached to the vertical side wall 86. A plurality of suitable spacers 117 are provided between the side wall 86 and the channel 116 so that when water is deposited on the inclined top portion of bracket 116 it will roll down into the space between the vertical portion of channel 116 and side wall 86 and reach the top side of the horizontal knife 108. Water is deposited on the inclined top portion of bracket 116 by means of three suitable tubes 118, 120 and 122 all of which are provided with a plurality of suitably spaced holes opening over the bracket (FIG. 2). Tubes 118, 120 and 122 are also connected to the junction block 18. The felt strip 114 mounted on the charge transfer 110 contacts with its upper edge the lower side of the horizonal knife 118 while the lower edge of strip 114 contacts the path over which the tobacco is moved from the required for each application.

measuring chamber to the swing transfer of the cigar machine. Thus felt strip 14, which receives moisture as hereinafter described, both moistens and wipes the lower surface of knife 113 and the surface traversed by the tobacco during its movement from the measuring chamber M.

Water is supplied to the top surface of the horizontally reciprocating knife 108 while it in its forward position. Upon the return stroke the felt strip 112 spreads the water over the face of the knife and also supplies felt strip 114 with moisture. (Water will be wiped over the angle or cutting edge of said knife and reach the lower felt pad 114 by means of which the latter receives its moisture.) The connection of each tube 68, 80, 100, 113, 120 and 122 with the junction block 18 is provided with a suitable one-way check valve to prevent return flow. The tube connecting the water pump 10 with the junction block 18 and the tube leading from the reservoir R to the pump is similarly provided with a check valve.

As mentioned heretofore, the water pump 10 is employed for the purpose of displacing on each cycle a metered amount of water through the tubes to the various tobacco-contacting parts. The holes in all tubes are of size and number to properly proportion the metered water The volumetric delivery of the pump actuated by the cam lever 112 may be the justed by means of set screw 14 which determines effective amplitude of the stroke of the pump piston.

I claim:

1. In the bunch end of a cigar machine having a crossfeed channel, a measuring chamber, and at least one cutting element associated with said measuring chamber, a presser roller positioned in said crossfced channel at a predetermined distance from the bottom thereof to engage and compress the filler transported in said channel past roller, conduit means to said roller and to said cutting element, a source of supply of water, means communicating said source with said conduit means, and means connected to said communicating means to supply individual predetermined amounts of water to said cutting element and said roller, respectively, during each cycle of operation of said machine, said amounts limited to a sufficiency to properly irrigate said cutting element and said roller.

2. In the bunch end of a cigar machine having a crossfeed channel, a measuring chamber, a cutting element reciprocable into and out of the measuring chamber to sever the measured charge therein, a transfer beneath said cutting element to deliver said measured charge from said chamber, wiper means contacting said cutting element during its movement, means to supply water to said wiper means to irrigate and cleanse said cutting element, means connected to said water supply means for limiting the amount of said supply to the quantity required for said irrigating and cleansing and timing means connected to said water supply means to restrict the time of said supply to a predetermined interval in each cycle of operation of said machine.

3. A bunch end of a cigar machine substantially as set forth in claim 2, further characterized in that said limiting means comprises a metering pump and said water supply means comprises conduit means from said metering pump to a position to deliver fluid to said wiping means, said conduit means having a predetermined number of apertures of predetermined area and drive means for said machine, said timing means connected to said drive means.

4. In the filler feed channel of a cigar machine having a guillotine knife, a support surface to support tobacco beneath said guillotine knife, a stripper having a resilient connection to said guillotine knife to move therewith, said resilient connection yielding when said knife makes a cutting pass through a material so that said stripper moves relative to said knife, and means to supply fluid to said stripper to irrigate and cleanse said knife.

5. A device substantially as set forth in claim 4, further characterized in that said means to supply said fluid comprise a metering pump, conduit means from said metering pump to a position to deliver fluid to said stripper, said pump being operatively connected to the drive means of said machine to operate said pump in timed relation to the cyclical movement of said knife.

6. In the filler feed channel of a cigar machine having a guillotine knife, a support surface to support tobacco beneath said guillotine knife, a stripper having a resilient connection to said guillotine knife to move therewith, said resilient connection yielding when said knife makes a cutting pass through a material so that said stripper moves relative to said knife, and means to supply fluid to said stripper to irrigate and cleanse said knife at a predetermined time in a cycle of operation of said machine.

7. In the bunch end of a cigar machine, a filler feed, a measuring chamber for receiving tobacco from said filler feed, cutting elements constructed and arranged to sever a stream of tobacco in said filler feed and in said measuring chamber, drive means for said machine, a presser roller positioned in said filler feed at a predetermined distance from the bottom thereof to engage and compress the filler in said channel past said roller, a source of supply of water, a pump, a junction, means communicating said junction with said cutting elements and said presser roller, said pump being operatively connected to the drive means of said machine to pump water from said source to said junction upon each cycle of said cutting elements so that Water is conveyed to said cutting elements and said roller.

8. In the bunch end of a cigar machine having a filler feed channel, a presser roller positioned in said filler feed channel to engage and compress filler transported therein, a ledger surface, a bridge plate connecting said filler feed channel and said ledger surface to support filler conveyed thereto, a guillotine knife operative to sever a stream of filler tobacco on said bridge plate, a measuring chamber to receive said severed tobacco, a knife movable through said measuring chamber to sever a bunch charge therein, drive means for said machine, a source of supply of Water, a pump, means communicating said source with said pump, a junction connected to said pump, a plurality of conduit means communicating with said junction, one Of which leads to said presser roller, one of which leads to said bridge plate, one of which leads to said guillotine knife, one of which leads to said measuring chamber knife, and means operatively connected with the drive means of said machine to operate said pump in timed relation to the cyclical movement thereof.

9. -In a cigar machine having a guillotine knife, a support surface to support tobacco beneath said guillotine knife, a conveyor to convey tobacco to said support surface, and a bridge plate connecting said conveyor With said support surface, a stripper having a resilient connection to said guillotine knife to move therewith, said resilient connection yielding when said knife makes a cutting pass through the material so that said stripper moves relative to said knife, and means to supply fluid to said stripper to irrigate and cleanse said knife, and instrumentalities to supply fluid to said bridge plate.

10. A device substantially as set forth in claim 9, further characterized in that said instrumentalities to supply said fluid comprise a metering pump, conduit means from said metering pump to a position to deliver fluid to said bridge plate, said pump being operatively connected to the drive means of said machine to operate said pump in timed relation to the cyclical movement of said knife.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 66,845 Huse July 16, 1867 828,062 Sherwood Aug. 7, 1906 1,188,549 Marsh June 27, 1916 1,888,805 Peterson Nov. 22, 1932 1,944,577 Rose Jan. 23, 1934 1,981,469 Rundell Nov. 20, 1934 2,061,315 Rohwedder Nov. 17, 1936 2,251,518 Herrmann Aug. 5, 1941 2,255,051 Perenci Sept. 9, 1941 2,571,618 Rundell Oct. 16, 1951 2,617,426 Patterson Nov. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,651 Great Britain of 1899 782,634 Great Britain Sept. 11, 1957 

